Of Love and Hardships
by Nymeria31
Summary: Victor and Yuuri were making plans to celebrate their anniversary, but there was something else they needed to share with their loved ones. Victuuri week 2017, Day 5, Victor Prompt: Anniversaries, Yuuri Prompt: Family


Hello, day 5 of Victuuriweek. Didn't think I could make it. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it. Also, thanks to my friend Angie, for helping me with names. She is my support and my everything.

* * *

They had been together for six years now, of those six years they have been married for five. Five years of marital bliss. People didn't think they would make it. They said it had been too fast. They didn't know that Victor would have married Yuuri right away, but Yuuri wanted to date and get to know each other better and things of the sort. They were soulmates, Victor had no doubt of it, soulmates were meant to be. There was no need for all of that, but he decided to go at Yuuri's pace, he already knew where the would end up anyway. And they shut some people's mouth along the way.

Victor was getting ready to celebrate their fifth anniversary next week. He wanted to throw a big party and show off his handsome and sexy husband to everybody. However, they didn't have a good record when it came to parties. He once threw a surprise party for Yuuri when he won the gold medal at a GPF and he almost had a heart attack. In retrospective, that had not been one of Victor's brightest ideas.

Victor still wanted a party, though. This year they were not only celebrating another wonderful year together but also there had been a new addition to the Katsuki-Nikiforov household and he wanted to have a blast and share their happiness with everyone they knew.

He was whistling while walking around the house with a single goal in mind. He went into the room that was next to his and Yuuri's. He looked down at the crib that was in the middle of the room and saw the most beautiful angel ever to come out of heaven. Their beautiful baby girl, Chieko, according to Yuuri it meant child blessed with wisdom. He agreed one hundred percent. Their baby was the smartest baby ever.

She had been with them for a week now and Victor and Yuuri marveled every time she did something as banal as burping. Everything she did was perfect, well, not everything. It had been difficult to adjust to the schedule of a two-month-old baby, but they were powering through, or so he liked to think. What had surprised Victor the most were the things that came out of babies. He loved his daughter, but that had been an eye opener. Not everything that babies did was beautiful, some things most never, ever be mentioned.

She was up and looking at the mobile with those big brown eyes of her and trying to reach it with her little chubby hands. A mobile that Victor had designed especially for her. It had skates with golden blades, little bowls of Katsudon, and some piroshkis. Yurio said it was ridiculous and that the baby would grow up not knowing what was good. Then, Victor showed him the little tiger that also made part of the mobile and he stopped complaining.

Victor picked up his little princess from the crib and started speaking to her. She was helping him with the plans for the party. Well, not exactly helping, but she made some cute, unintelligible sounds at the right moments. That was participating in Victor's dictionary.

"What do you say, Chieko? What should be the theme for our party? I've always wanted to throw a 20's theme party. You'll be the most beautiful girl there with a little charleston dress. But I don't want you to throw up on that dress or my suit." Victor had to stop wearing designer clothes by the second day and after several of his sweaters had been ruined. "I love you baby, but that suit is Armani."

"Are you telling our daughter that you love a suit more than you love her?"

He turned his head with a smile, he hadn't heard Yuuri come in. Sometimes, Victor caught Yuuri just looking at the baby while she was sleeping as if he couldn't believe that the little blessing was part of their lives now. "It's an Armani, Yuuri. I would throw this baby at you if she as much as burp at it."

"I have no response to that." Yuuri looked at their baby with so much love in his eyes that Victor wanted to marry him all over again. Yuuri took her from his arms and he didn't fight it. He knew that Yuuri needed the reassurance that the baby was actually with them. He needed to pinch himself sometimes to make sure that he was not dreaming.

* * *

Adopting a baby had not been an easy process. There had been tons of paperwork, interviews, home studies. All of these to confirm that they were going to be suitable parents for a baby and that they will provide him or her with a stable home. It was interesting for them to realize how people didn't need to be approved when they were trying to have kids in a natural way, but in this case, somebody else needed to approved Yuuri and Victor as good parents for a prospective child. After all this process came the wait. They became a waiting family for a prospective birth mother.

Those few months felt like years to them. They went to the dark side several times, thinking that nobody was going to find them adequate to raise their child. Other days, they spent hours talking about what their baby would look like, and thinking about the perfect name for them. One day, they got the call. Victor remembered how much they have cried, the were going to have a baby. Victor called everyone on his contact list and Yuuri called his family. Everybody had been happy for them.

After the congratulatory calls and the celebrations, they started freaking out, they were going to have a baby boy in 3 months and they were nowhere near ready. They bought every book in the market about babies. Yuuri went crazy with probabilities of the baby having some disease and Victor did what he did best, he went shopping. Their baby was going to have the best of the best. Good thing he took Yuuri with him, he almost bought an entire store once. He had money, but not that much. It had been all Phichit's fault, he kept showing Victor pictures of these gorgeous nurseries. What was he supposed to do? Victor was only human.

Victor had wanted to hire a decorator for the nursery, but Yuuri insisted that they should do it all by themselves. The baby would feel welcome knowing that his dads had made an effort. He couldn't refute Yuuri's reasoning.

Phichit and Chris had thrown a baby shower for them. All of their friends had been there. It made Victor glad to know that all of them were as excited as Yuuri and him. Even Yurio, although he was pretty sure a baby didn't need skates and a leopard print onesie, but they were adorable.

The call finally came, the baby was being born. They left the rink as quickly as they could. They sat in that waiting room for what felt like hours. How long did it take for a baby to come out? Victor kept wondering why the miracle of life took so long, while Yuuri paced around the room. Yuuri's anxiety was taking the best of him at this moment, thinking that something must have gone wrong.

A few hours later, a nurse came out and told them the big news. We have a baby, we are parents. Victor practically yelled this while hugging Yuuri. Their dream had finally come true, they were going to start a new adventure. They were going to be the best parents the history of parenting had ever seen.

The happiness didn't last long, though. They were waiting for their adoption agent to come out and show them their baby. The woman came out empty handed. She apologized to them, she said the mother had changed her mind. She wanted to keep the baby. Victor didn't want to hear the rest, his mind was not processing this information. why? he asked, was it something we did? She can't do this, can't she? He turned to Yuuri and that did it. That vision of Yuuri looking so vulnerable, wrapping his arms around himself and crying no tears of joy, but of sorrow now. That had broken his heart in so many ways that he doubted he would ever be able to put it back together.

The agent kept apologizing, saying that these things sometimes happen. She had failed to mention that before. Victor didn't want to hear anything else, Yuuri was crumbling right in front of him and he didn't know what to do. He was dying inside, their dream had just slipped through their fingers, but he needed to be strong for Yuuri at this moment.

Yuuri? I wanna go home, please, take me home. It was the only thing Yuuri had said and Victor complied. He put an arm around Yuuri's shoulders and left the hospital without saying a word to the agent. They needed to leave that place immediately.

Victor didn't know how they made it home in one piece. His eyes had been full of tears, thinking about the baby they didn't even get to see and how lost Yuuri was. It was even worse when they got home. There were people waiting for them. Yuuri's parents had come from Japan a few days ago to help for the first few weeks, and Victor had texted everyone before they left for the hospital.

They went inside and people yelled "Congratulations" that was the last drop. That had sent Yuuri to their room sobbing. Victor stayed there, staring at nothing and everything at the same time. Yuuri's mom had grabbed his hand gently and asked what had happened. Victor shook his head and his tears finally came.

They had spent the next week crying and not talking. Victor had reread the contract again and in there it said that the birth mother had up until 30 days after the baby was born to change her mind. The silver lining was that it had happened right at birth not after the baby had spent a few days with them. Victor knew that there was no way in hell that he would have let them take that baby away.

Victor had found Yuuri crying in the nursery they had made for the baby several times. Victor felt useless; he failed at getting them a baby and he didn't know what to do to console Yuuri. It had taken Yuuri yelling at him for Victor to finally realized that he was allowed to feel sadness too. Yuuri told him that he didn't need to be strong for him because it had been his lost as well. They were supposed to support each other and try to get out of this together, not for Victor to think that his feelings were not as important as Yuuri's.

The next months had been hard for them. It had taken them a while to reach that place where they could accept the mother's decision. Maybe the baby would be happier growing up with his birth mom. It hurt, but they were making his peace with it. There had been moments where they thought about the baby they didn't get to hold, but little by little, they pulled themselves out of that hole they have fallen.

* * *

Thank God that was all behind them. It was a year after that when Victor finally convinced Yuuri to try again. This time, they chose a foster care adoption. Victor didn't think that they could go again through the months of waiting and getting no baby at the end. They were not strong enough.

They also decided to do it secretly. They didn't want to get people excited again over nothing. That's why this party felt important to Victor. It would be the perfect occasion to share the good news with their family and friends. They had been so scared that this adoption might not happen that they waited until the last minute to get everything ready. They wanted to be sure this time.

It had been chaos, to say the least, but they were thrilled because they finally got their baby. The only person that knew about it was Yurio and only because he decided to drop by their house on the day they brought Chieko home. His expression had been priceless. Yurio had been surprisingly supportive during their last ordeal and this time, he even told the baby that she could call him uncle Yurio.

"I'm not sure about this party, Victor." Yuuri was rocking their baby back and forth and smiling down at her.

Yuuri started singing a Japanese lullaby that her mother used to sing to him. Every time Victor saw Yuuri like this his heart swell with so much happiness. It was time for them to share it with the rest of their family and friends.

"Yuuri, I think is time."

"But, it has only been a week. What if they take her from us?" Yuuri hugged the baby tighter.

Victor understood Yuuri's fear. He felt it as well, but even if they had to move countries, change names, change carriers and everything. He was not going to let anyone take her from them.

"I know Yuuri. I am afraid too," he got closer to his husband and Chieko. Yuuri hadn't taken his eyes from her since he came into the room. Victor cupped his cheek and raised his eyes to him. "She is ours now, I think we shouldn't let that fear dictate our lives. It's our anniversary. I love you, Yuuri and I love her. I want everybody to know and love her as much as we do. Also, I don't think Yurio is going to keep the secret much longer."

"Did he say something?"

"Not exactly, but we are keeping him from Instagramming. He might explode at some point. If you don't want to I'll understand it, but I really want to do this, Yuuri. We deserved it after everything we've been through."

Yuuri looked at Victor, then at the baby. Victor could see his mind working hard to decide what was best for them. He closed his eyes and opened them again. He had reached a decision.

"Okay, let's have a party," Victor was already jumping in excitement. "But, a small affair, Victor. I don't want you posting this in every social media or making up a crazy theme. Just a dinner party with family and friends."

"But Yuuuuuriiiiiiiiii."

"Victor, promise, please. It's all I can agree on." The baby had fallen asleep again and Yuuri put her down, not without kissing her like a hundred times to make sure that she was real. Victor couldn't say no to that vision.

"I promise, a small affair."

"Thank you, Victor." Yuuri hugged him and kissed him lightly. They stayed there looking at their daughter with their arms around each other. They have never been this happy before.

* * *

The next week, everything was ready for the party. They had discussed the best way to break the news to the family. Opening the door while holding Chieko would have been too much. Maybe eased them into it. Victor came up with a fantastic idea, Yuuri would receive the guests and once they were all together, Victor would come out with the baby.

"No Lion King reenactment with her, Victor."

"Why not? She is the chosen one, our heiress. She is going to be the queen of the rink."

"I said no. Just came out with her. She is beautiful enough, she doesn't need all the fanfare you were planning. No drama. Okay?" Victor was pouting. Where was Yuuri's love for showmanship? "Don't do it, that doesn't work on me anymore."

"Fine, let's be like any other couple presenting their baby then, boring." The doorbell rang and Yuuri shooed him away. The guests were arriving. Before he went to his position, he came up to Yuuri and kissed him as if he had never kissed him before.

"What was that for?" asked Yuuri all dazed and with a slight blush forming on his cheeks. Victor loved that he could still do that to his husband.

"Happy Anniversary, Yuuri. I love you."

"I love you too, Vitya." They heard the doorbell again, and Yuuri slapped him lightly on his butt to keep him moving.

Victor went to the baby's room to wait for Yuuri's signal. He might have planned something. Their baby was beautiful, she deserved the best presentation ever. Yuuri might give him the silent treatment later, but he knew it would be worth it.

The time came for Victor to make his entrance with the baby, she was wearing an adorable violet dress that Yuuri had chosen for her, she had some violet ballerinas too, and a gold necklace that had been a present from Uncle Yurio. As a final touch, Victor added a tiny tiara that he bought yesterday at Tiffany's. It was safe to say that Yuuri didn't know about the tiara.

He came out to the living room, with the baby raised high in his arms, he was holding a remote. He pressed a button and the Circle of Life came blasting from the speakers he had strategically placed in the living room this afternoon. Everybody had their mouths open. Exactly the reaction he was looking for, the reaction their precious baby deserved. Thank God for Phichit, he recovered quickly from the shock and started taking pictures as if there was no tomorrow. God bless that pure soul.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce you Chieko Katsuki-Nikiforov, bow to your Ice Queen." In the corner of his eye, he saw Yuuri covering his face with his hands and heard Yurio said "I hate your husband. Why'd you marry that idiot again?"

"Because I'm in love with that idiot."

Yurio looked disgusted at the answer. "You too are gross. Good thing I'm here to be a decent example for that baby." He left to the far side of the room to be with Yakov and Lilia. They went to celebrate with them, but they didn't exactly want to celebrate. So, They usually stayed in one corner for the whole night. The important thing is that they were there.

Victor knew that underneath all that tough exterior, Yurio was a big softie. And looking at all the people around them; Victor realized that their baby girl was very lucky because all of them were going to love and care for her as much as Yuuri and he did.

Victor motioned for Yuuri to join them in the spotlight because of course, he had a bright light pointing directly at their angel. Yuuri came reluctantly and stood next to Victor, kissed him lightly on his cheek and put a hand on their baby.

The fear was still there, but they would allow themselves to have this moment of happiness. They looked at each other, Victor with a question in his eyes and Yuuri nodded in response. It was time to let Yurio know their decision.

"Yurio," the boy looked at them with a snarky reply already on his lips. "You can Instagram now." Yurio was not smiling, but Victor and Yuuri knew that sparkle in his eyes. He was happy too.

The hashtag #Goldenfamily had been trending for two days in a row.

* * *

Unfortunately, I can't draw for shit, and I don't know how to add images inside the fic like some people do. I totally headcanon Victor doing this url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj63uXch4fSAhUJLSYKHTUpDMIQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F% .com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Daj9RnluuzwM&bvm=bv.146786187, &psig=AFQjCNGNI5vgQzwgNfC4gh70nHNbHVB9sw&ust=1486868666413785


End file.
